Enjoy Some Great Beer At A Rogue Valley Microbrewery

Some Of The Best Microbreweries & Brew Houses In Southern Oregon Are Right Here In The Rogue Valley

Warning: This story may make you thirsty! When Bert Grant opened the first microbrew pub in Yakima's old opera house in Washington state in 1982, Portland Oregon was already establishing a thirst to join what would later become a craft beer boom in the Pacific Northwest by creating single-gallon small batches in homes, garages and dorm rooms.

By the time the nation's brewpub culture flourished in the mid-90's, Oregon had clearly helped lead the craft beer way with trailblazers like McMenamin brothers, Brian and Michael, who now own a small chain of brewpubs and breweries in Oregon and Washington. Also at the forefront of this emerging evolution was Columbia River Brewing, Portland Brewing and Widmer Brothers Brewing. The elements that helped make Portland a brewers' paradise are similar to those of Southern Oregon. Both areas embrace an independent spirit combined with a strong appetite for locally grown and produced products, and an intelligent, progressive populace of younger pub owners that strive to provide their patrons with tastier brews and a wider variety of ales. Other similarities include a long history of thirsty, hard-working lumbermen, laborers and tradesmen seeking a relaxing place to enjoy a good beer after a long day of work. Oregon is now regarded as the craft beer leader of the country, with the largest commercial market for locally crafted beers. There are over 100 microbreweries in the state, helping Oregon become the nation's second biggest grower and producer of the hops that are essential to brewing a great beer. Southern Oregon and the Rogue Valley now have more than a dozen microbreweries and brewpubs that offer high-quality beers and ales, impressive food menus, and tours of their facilities. Most offer a casual, comfortable atmosphere in buildings that were at one time old warehouses, an old firehouse, and renovated 1920's era storefronts, with at least one building registered with the National Register of Historic Places. These local brewpubs are regularly patronized by a quirky cast of business people, blue-collar workers, dread-locked hippies and college students, adding a particular type of charm not often found in other drinking establishments. In Ashland you'll find several premier craft brew joints, including Standing Stone Brewing Company, offering freshly brewed ales and lagers made using mostly organic grains, and Caldera Brewing Company, home of a truly phenomenal selection of IPAs, lagers, ales and porters. Most of the microbreweries in Ashland offer great food, including pizzas, specialty sandwiches and fine dining selections that are not normally available in a bar or tavern. Medford gives you the opportunity to really delve into the craft beer experience with a large choice of micro brewpubs. BricktownE Brewing Company, locally known as The Barrel House, offers a nice variety of pales, porters, ales and stouts. A cozy and comfortable little brewpub is Portal Brewing Company, offering an impressive selection of appetizers to enjoy with your ales, stouts, porters and ESBs. If you're looking for a dog-friendly taphouse to spend time with friends and family while enjoying beer ‘made simply and without pretense’, visit Opposition Brewing Company. Their slogan is, "Stand up, raise a pint, and join the Opposition!" For the opportunity to see a 7-barrel brew house up close and taste the fruits of its labor, visit Walkabout Brewing Company. While not a typical brewpub, Walkabout does have a nice tasting room and large outdoor patio area to relax and enjoy a brew or two. In Grants Pass you'll find several fine spots to enjoy the area's vast selection of craft brews, including JD's Sports Bar and Brewery, Climate City Brewing and The Haul. At JD's you can enjoy pints and growlers of hand-crafted porters, ales and stouts, plus food and live entertainment, while Climate City offers awesome IPA's, porters, ales and stouts served with up-scale pub food in one of Grant Pass' beautifully restored historic buildings. Wild River Pizza & Brewpub has it all, with handcrafted porters, ales and bocks, award-winning pizza, a fantastic menu for family dining, and live music and comedy nights. Wild River Restaurants and Brewpubs can be found in Medford, Grants Pass and Cave Junction. When looking for exceptional beers, good food and entertaining times, the Rogue Valley has some of the best Oregon has to offer.